Now Sir Galahad had as yet no shield, and he rode four days without
meeting any adventure, till at last he came to a White Abbey, where he
dismounted and asked if he might sleep there that night. The brethren
received him with great reverence, and led him to a chamber, where he
took off his armour, and then saw that he was in the presence of two
Knights. 'Sirs,' said Sir Galahad, 'what adventure brought you
hither?' 'Sir,' replied they, 'we heard that within this Abbey is a
shield that no man may hang round his neck without being dead within
three days, or some mischief befalling him. And if we fail in the
adventure, you shall take it upon you.' 'Sirs,' replied Sir Galahad,
'I agree well thereto, for as yet I have no shield.'
So on the morn they arose and heard Mass, and then a monk led them
behind an altar where hung a shield white as snow, with a red cross in
the middle of it. 'Sirs,' said the monk, 'this shield cannot be hung
round no Knight's neck, unless he be the worthiest Knight in the
world, and therefore I counsel you to be well advised.'
'Well,' answered one of the Knights, whose name was King Bagdemagus,
'I know truly that I am not the best Knight in the world, but yet
shall I try to bear it,' and he bare it out of the Abbey. Then he said
to Sir Galahad, 'I pray you abide here still, till you know how I
shall speed,' and he rode away, taking with him a squire to send
tidings back to Sir Galahad.
After King Bagdemagus had ridden two miles he entered a fair valley,
and there met him a goodly Knight seated on a white horse and clad in
white armour. And they came together with their spears, and Sir
Bagdemagus was borne from his horse, for the shield covered him not at
all. Therewith the strange Knight alighted and took the white shield
from him, and gave it to the squire, saying, 'Bear this shield to the
good Knight Sir Galahad that thou hast left in the Abbey, and greet
him well from me.'
'Sir,' said the squire, 'what is your name?'
'Take thou no heed of my name,' answered the Knight, 'for it is not
for thee to know, nor for any earthly man.'
'Now, fair Sir,' said the squire, 'tell me for what cause this shield
may not be borne lest ill befalls him who bears it.'
'Since you have asked me,' answered the Knight, 'know that no man
shall bear this shield, save Sir Galahad only.'
Then the squire turned to Bagdemagus, and asked him whether he were
wounded or not. 'Yes, truly,' said he, 'and I shall hardly escape from
death'; and scarcely could he climb on to his horse's back when the
squire brought it near him. But the squire led him to a monastery that
lay in the valley, and there he was treated of his wounds, and after
long lying came back to life. After the squire had given the Knight
into the care of the monks, he rode back to the Abbey, bearing with
him the shield. 'Sir Galahad,' said he, alighting before him, 'the
Knight that wounded Bagdemagus sends you greeting, and bids you bear
this shield, which shall bring you many adventures.'
'Now blessed be God and fortune,' answered Sir Galahad, and called for
his arms, and mounted his horse, hanging the shield about his neck.
Then, followed by the squire, he set out. They rode straight to the
hermitage, where they saw the White Knight who had sent the shield to
Sir Galahad. The two Knights saluted each other courteously, and
then the White Knight told Sir Galahad the story of the shield, and
how it had been given into his charge. Afterwards they parted, and Sir
Galahad and his squire returned unto the Abbey whence they came.
[Illustration: SIR GALAHAD OPENS THE TOMB]
The monks made great joy at seeing Sir Galahad again, for they feared
he was gone for ever; and as soon as he was alighted from his horse
they brought him unto a tomb in the churchyard where there was night
and day such a noise that any man who heard it should be driven nigh
mad, or else lose his strength. 'Sir,' they said, 'we deem it a
fiend.' Sir Galahad drew near, all armed save his helmet, and stood by
the tomb. 'Lift up the stone,' said a monk, and Galahad lifted it, and
a voice cried, 'Come thou not nigh me, Sir Galahad, for thou shalt
make me go again where I have been so long.' But Galahad took no heed
of him, and lifted the stone yet higher, and there rushed from the
tomb a foul smoke, and in the midst of it leaped out the foulest
figure that ever was seen in the likeness of a man. 'Galahad,' said
the figure, 'I see about thee so many angels that my power dare not
touch thee.' Then Galahad, stooping down, looked into the tomb, and he
saw a body all armed lying there, with a sword by his side. 'Fair
brother,' said Galahad, 'let us remove this body, for he is not worthy
to be in this churchyard, being a false Christian man.'
This being done they all departed and returned unto the monastery,
where they lay that night, and the next morning Sir Galahad knighted
Melias his squire, as he had promised him aforetime. So Sir Galahad
and Sir Melias departed thence, in quest of the Holy Graal, but they
soon went their different ways and fell upon different adventures. In
his first encounter Sir Melias was sore wounded, and Sir Galahad came
to his help, and left him to an old monk who said that he would heal
him of his wounds in the space of seven weeks, and that he was thus
wounded because he had not come clean to the quest of the Graal, as
Sir Galahad had done. Sir Galahad left him there, and rode on till he
came to the Castle of Maidens, which he alone might enter who was free
from sin. There he chased away the Knights who had seized the castle
seven years agone, and restored all to the Duke's daughter, who owned
it of right. Besides this he set free the maidens who were kept in
prison, and summoned all those Knights in the country round who had
held their lands of the Duke, bidding them do homage to his daughter.
And in the morning one came to him and told him that as the seven
Knights fled from the Castle of Maidens they fell upon the path of Sir
Gawaine, Sir Gareth, and Sir Lewaine, who were seeking Sir Galahad,
and they gave battle; and the seven Knights were slain by the three
Knights. 'It is well,' said Galahad, and he took his armour and his
horse and rode away.
So when Sir Galahad left the Castle of Maidens he rode till he came to
a waste forest, and there he met with Sir Lancelot and Sir Percivale;
but they knew him not, for he was now disguised. And they fought
together, and the two Knights were smitten down out of the saddle.
'God be with thee, thou best Knight in the world,' cried a nun who
dwelt in a hermitage close by; and she said it in a loud voice, so
that Lancelot and Percivale might hear. But Sir Galahad feared that
she would make known who he was, so he spurred his horse and struck
deep into the forest before Sir Lancelot and Sir Percivale could mount
again. They knew not which path he had taken, so Sir Percivale turned
back to ask advice of the nun, and Sir Lancelot pressed forward.
[Illustration: LANCELOT AT THE CHAPEL]